The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-30
MIRACLES At L0URDES
HAVE NOT YET BEEN GAINsAID
BY ANYONE,
Because Scientists Do Not Care to
Oppose the Belief Of Many
Thousands.

To the Editor Of the Appeal;
"still it moves" really. II is only a
few months since q writer in the AP-
PEAL asked ferociously "Why was
Calico slain?" and today we learn
from the same widely circulated jour
nal that he was only imprisoned.
This is a gratifying advance toward
the truth OF history. Soon another
writer may show that his imprison-
ment at one time was in the palace Of
the Tuscan ambassador at Rome, and
at another in the palace cf the Arch
bishop of sienne, with the full free.
dom Of the buildings and grounds
II may furthermore be shown that his
imprisonment was solely on account Of
his intemperate insistancs on teaching
what was generally considered OPP.
posed to Scripture. He was not treat
ed harshly, for he himself acknowl-
edges the uniform kindness OF Pope
Urban, Cardinal Bellsrmine and other
Church dignita, les. Cop ,rnicrs
taught the same system, and when he
had finished his researches, dedicated
his book TO Pope Paul III. Dedica-
ton Of books 10 not often done without
permission, and we must assume that
permission was asked and given in
this case. Cardinal Cusa taught
the same system two centu-
ries before Copernicus and Vir.
gilius, an Irish monk, taught the same
system in Germany centuries before
either. These things are we'll known,
but, as our beliefs are generally ths
result OF our prejudices they are re-
jected by certain class of people.
There is a good deal said by certain
scientific people about Joshua and the
eun, and Ezschias and the dial, but 10
my mind Jonah and the whale is
much harder TO take than either.
These things are not easily under
stood the language used, as 1t is in
the English BIDle,is plsin enough and
may have been written to convey that
simple idea, while to describe what
did take place would require quite q
different style and much more lengthy
description.
We cannot say, | submit, that any
law OF nature has been violated in
these or any other miracles, the as.
cension for instance. For q Law Of
nature is merely gsneralize1 state
ment, based upon facts of observation,
and they are discovered from time to
time as the world progresses, and our
knowledge is increased. The sig
nal service, for instance, after if.
teen years observation, which is
an unusually short time for such work,
but considering the number OF OBJ.
servers at widely spa;t stations, may
be accepted as we'll founded. This
service has lately terminated law
that rainfall and heat are constant
and have an orderly recurrence. Now
there is good reason for belief In laws
discovered in this way, but when we
come to look into other teachings of
science they call us halt. Geology has
changed so often and 80 much that
one hardly knows what to believe.
The other day In the APPEAL Prof.
Proctor told us that mountain ranges
were not the results OF cohvulsions or
upheavals, but of q process Just the
reveree. Now this Is great change
from the teachings OF fsw years ago.
Science Is verified knowledge and that
which 10 constantly changing, like the
teachings OF geology and other So
called sciences, has not been verified,
and the teachings are not according to
any known law. The brilliant author
OF 1.-THE Rise and FALL" Dean Mill
man tells us, would have succeeded In
demolishing the belief in the Apos.
tolic miracles had he not endeavored
also to pull down with them
the miracles wrought by Christ.
His failure was most signal
and ignominious. His fate seems to
deter the scientists of our day from
similar attempt. There are miracles
being performed in various parts OF
the world t)dsy, as people believe, no.
tably at Lourdes, in France, bnt no
scientist has yet attempted for any
consideration to explain single one
OF them. These miracles have not
been passed upon by the church in
formal manner, 60 any Cath9lic may
believe them or not as he sses at, but
notable eCcleeiastics and church dig.
nltaries have examined and expressed
faith in them. Any sc'entist, then,
who can disprove them will.have ex
ceeding great G ory, fame and cash, for
books, particularly when the writer
goes back on the faith of his fathers,
are, as Mr.. Gable knows, very profta-
Bile. viii not some scientist under
take this thing for the good OF human
lily, and break up this superstition
some scientist who, standing by the
coffin of his mother, csn look in her
face and say, there is the last OF her;
there is no more Of her than the COW
that died yesterday. OFF hand.
MANY have haen hrou0ht frOm